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We have two very pretty namesakes this week!
On a weekly basis, we speak with Milton Historical Society President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we focused on Chee Chee Landing and Pratt Heights. This week, we’re covering Cherry Court and Poppy Place.
Let’s start alphabetically with Cherry, as Challinor explains the important history of the cherry tree in Milton.
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He adds that cherry trees in Milton provide a significant boost in beauty in the spring time as they blossom.
Our other street this week is Poppy Place. Challinor discusses the importance of the flower to Canadian culture.
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The poppy also has medicinal use because the plant produces opium, which is also associated with narcotics such as morphine, codeine, heroin, and oxycodone.
In Flanders Field was written by John McCrae, a Canadian World War One veteran. As a history buff, Challinor recommends visiting McCrae’s home in Guelph. Now a museum, it can be found at 108 Water Street. It’s open on Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Learn more here.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
Have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week? Let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our X account or email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at:
- News1013@LocalRadio.ca (Milton)
- News1015@LocalRadio.ca (Orangeville)
- News92@LocalRadio.ca (South Simcoe)
If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
